FBI warns your smart TV could be spying on you

If you don’t take the right steps, it’s just like leaving your front door open

The FBI warns that TV sets with advanced tech could be hacked by cybercriminals, who could potentially snoop. (Source: CNN)

December 3, 2019 at 5:03 PM CST - Updated December 4 at 9:03 AM

(CNN) – As smart TVs fly off store shelves for the holidays, the FBI warns that screens with advanced technology, like cameras and microphones, could be hacked by cybercriminals, who could potentially snoop.

“Beyond the risk that your TV manufacturer and app developers may be listening and watching you, that television can also be a gateway for hackers to come into your home,” Beth Anne Steele with the FBI in Portland, Ore., said.

“A bad cyber actor may not be able to access your locked-down computer directly, but it is possible that your unsecured TV can give him or her an easy way in the backdoor through your router.”

To protect yourself, the agency recommends changing the default password and updating the software.

For an extra layer of protection, also consider putting black tape over the camera hole or disabling the microphone.